


August and Everything After

by Thecsquirrel



Series: Stardust [3]
Category: Captain Marvel (2019)
Genre: Carol get her memories back, F/F, minimal angst, the is mostly fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-22 19:41:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18534184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thecsquirrel/pseuds/Thecsquirrel
Summary: "While she had begun to get some of her memories back, there were still pieces and parts missing, still moments she couldn't grasp completely, still moments she thought were only dreams.  She knew that the Rambeaus were the most important people in her life...She knew she had a life with Maria and it was a life she was fighting to piece back together."





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back down memory lane, one more time! I feel like there's just a whole section of Carol gets her memory back fics and of course, I don't want to be left out. 
> 
> Split up into two nice parts. Enjoy! As usual, all mistakes are mine!

**1995**

Captain Marvel streaked blue and red across the sky somewhere near Antarctica when she re-entered Earth's atmosphere at a smooth Mach 10. Between her flight suit and the Tesseract energy that fueled her, she could barely feel the effects of the G-forces, and it was glorious. It had only been a few months since she had realized the potential of her powers, and she was sure that she would never get over the fact that she could actually fly and fly fast. The fighter jets of the Air force had been one thing, but she was something else altogether.

The protective helmet kept the wind out of her eyes, while it ruffled through the faux-mohawk made by the hair that sprouted from the top of the helmet. She embellished her descent with a few aerials and her body thrummed with joy in response. And then Carol Danvers let out a whoop of joy after breaking through the clouds, added a twirl to bank left, and then began to make her way North. Her heads-up navigation flashed with her destination, and she once again put her head down and broke the speed barrier with the sound of her laughter trailing behind.

Carol was all smiles, surprising even herself by touching down with soft steps into the backyard of the Rambeaus' Louisiana home. While she had begun to get some of her memories back, there were still pieces and parts missing, still moments she couldn't grasp completely, still moments she thought were only dreams. She knew that the Rambeaus were the most important people in her life. That was the knowledge that she could feel and see, and not just from the box of memories that Monica had effusively chattered about upon her return. She knew she had a life with Maria and Monica, and it was a life she was fighting to piece back together.

The more the memories returned to her, the more Carol realized that she wasn’t as jumbled or out of place as she once thought, she was simply away from home. Admittedly, she wasn't completely sure this place was her home, but as she ran her hands gently over the nose of the plane Maria was tinkering with, she knew this was a place she wanted to call home. 

Her helmet receded, and with a push of her fingers, she brought up the information center housed in the forearm of her flight suit. Glancing to her left she could see that the house was void of lights, save what appeared to be one in the kitchen. She knew Maria always left a light on somewhere. She was unclear why or how she knew that, but it was the truth. She glanced down at her arm. The readout displayed seven p.m. on a Tuesday in early August. Carol let out a curious ‘hmm’ at the discovery that she had only been gone five months since her return in March. 

When Carol wasn’t on Mar-vell’s floating Refugee camp, she and Talos were out scouting ahead, picking up new Skrulls, and finding safe outposts where other Skrulls could gather. They had come across two new possible safe planets, but there was still more work that needed to be done on the Light Speed engine before they could make that jump all the way across the other side of the known Universe. And if one thing had become certain to Carol over the past few months, there was a whole lot of the universe that was yet to be known.

The only reason she was even able to make the impromptu visit was that they were close enough to the Milky Way to find a reason for a quick detour. For Carol, the reason was the inexplicable pull and surge of feeling that started low in her stomach and ended up in her chest, whenever she thought about both Maria and Monica. The surge had started in earnest nearly a month ago, but she kept her mind on the task at hand and not what she yearned for at night. However, since her latest revelations, it was getting harder not to want to return home to the Rambeaus. 

It only took one look at her while she peered out into the relative calm of space, to see the way brown eyes peered a little harder at the sight of even just the edge of Earth’s galaxy. Talos observed her not with pity, but with understanding. She had been pushing to have more time on the cerebral imaging machine and he knew that when she wasn’t out punching holes through Accuser ships, she was spending her time trying to puzzle out the life she had on Earth. 

With a knowing grin, Talos watched her from the console where he stood and said, "it's okay if you want to say it. Trust me, I know." 

Carol had tried to wave him off, but she couldn't tear her eyes from where she knew the Earth to be and where she knew the home she was so desperate to remember would be. She gave the Skrull a small grin. Five months of hurtling through space together, searching for Skrulls, and battling Kree had given them something that felt a lot like friendship and a lot like trust. 

"I’m just saying that it might not be a bad idea to wait out the Accusers next sweep someplace safe." Talos pointed towards the view. "Might as well hide out in your solar system, since we both know they aren't too eager to get close with you there."

Carol's cocky smile lit up her face. "Got that right." She turned towards the porthole once more and smiled. "It'll just be a day or two and then we'll head out."  


Talos nodded and said, "sounds good to me."  


* * *

Carol gripped the lapels of her leather jacket and tugged inward. It was very much a reflexive action, because she was far from cold, thanks to the early evening August weather that was proving to be a bit muggy. She took a seat on the set of three steps that led to the front porch and contemplated taking the jacket off.  
She stretched her legs out and leaned back against the top step, peering up at the night sky like she had done countless times before with Monica at her side. 

The memories came a bit easier now. As if somehow being in this place - a place that's she's not sure she has ever been to -- as if being on this step that Maria and Monica sat on looking up at the same night sky, had somehow made the memories surface faster. 

These memories were not the jagged nightmares that would wake her on Hala. The ones that would jolt her from sleep with such rage, not knowing it was because those memories of Maria were snatched from her. She didn't grasp that her subconscious just wanted to stay where it was warm, and where there was love for just a moment more. No, now, the memories moved like honey out of a jar. It was slow going at first, but then gravity would exert its force, and finally, a slow drizzle or even a glob of sweet honey would ooze out. 

In the five months since seeing Maria and Monica, since being able to hold her family, since being reminded that she was a "mommy" of all things, those memories had poured forth and filled her with affection, warmth, and some regret. She had wished she had been able to stay longer. Wished she had been able to hold Maria for another hour more. Fury had made up some excuse about resting the modified Quinjet and shuffling some paperwork, and neither she nor Maria had complained. Maria didn't even bother to tell Monica to head off to sleep, lest she kept Talos' daughter awake past both their bedtimes. Carol grinned and lost herself to the memory.  


* * *

_March_

_They were terrible at being discreet before they eventually wandered off through the rumpus room and out into the backyard, Maria leading her by the hand. She wasn't sure where they were headed, not that she really cared. Maria kept saying Carol, Carol, Carol, over and over followed by kisses. The name felt right against her ears and her mouth as they stumbled together blindly through the garage with lips on necks and cheeks, and collarbones, and whatever other flesh they could find._

_Laughter bubbled up from Maria's throat when they fell back against what Carol realized was a car - her car. Or at least what used to be her car. Not Vers (she was still getting used to her name), but Carol lifted her head from what was fast becoming her favorite spot, nuzzling along the length of Maria's neck. She met dark eyes and they both smiled. It was a good moment to catch their breaths._

_"Th-" Carol cleared her throat. "This is my car, right?"_

_Maria ran gentle fingers against Carol's cheek and smiled coyly. "Well, technically, it's kind of mine." She pursed her lips. "I mean possession is nine-tenths of the law.”_

_A blonde eyebrow arched high and Carol kissed the growing smirk on Maria's mouth. "I'm a little rusty on Earth law, but seems like since I'm here, I should at least be allowed to take it for a spin." A look passed between the two women and it was clear Carol was not talking about the car anymore._

_They shared a lazy kiss and Maria looped long arms around Carol's neck and hugged her close. She made no secret of inhaling her scent. Granted it smelled more like ozone than jet fuel and perhaps there was a scent she couldn't quite place, but she would commit it to memory if it was all she had. Maria could not stop the soft sigh that escaped her lips and she felt Carol move back a bit, leaving them in a loose embrace._

_Carol tilted her head and looked up at the slightly taller woman. "Something wrong?"_

_Maria shook her head and closed her eyes for too long before opening them again, only to find Carol staring intently. "It's nothing."_

_With pursed lips, Carol narrowed her eyes at the other woman. She leaned forward until their noses just touched. "It's not nothing. I know something's wrong."_

_Maria chuckled, leaned back and pressed a kiss to Carol's nose. "How could you know? You're not even sure you're you yet." There was a touch of exasperation to her words. Maria let her arms drop from around Carol's neck and she sagged back against the Mustang. "I'm sorry. I think that came out crankier than I meant it to."_

_Carol removed her hands from around Maria's waist and reached down towards the other woman's hands. Without hesitation, Maria pressed her palms against Carol's and then laced their fingers together. "You're afraid I'm not coming back, aren't you?"_

_Maria tensed but Carol kept their hands together. "I just-" she started. Eyes swept up to the metal rafters in the ceiling of the garage and then back down at the woman in front of her. "Yes," she finally said. "I am."_

_Carol let her chin drop to her chest. She looked down at their hands locked together and even though she couldn't remember everything, she remembered this feeling, this scene of their hands together, fingers interlaced, facing one another. She picked her head up. "We-We've done this before haven't we?"_

_Maria watched her with consternation. She observed a moment of recognition pass over Carol's features and felt her heart rate increase in response. Carol fought to grasp at the memory, evidenced by the squinting of her eyes and a brow crinkled in concentration. Maria had to bite down into her lip in an effort to keep herself from blurting out the truth. The truth about the car they were leaning against and the way they fit together._

_Brown eyes roamed with purpose over the frame of the Mustang. She had seen this very car with its maroon paint and leather seats in her memories. She caught Maria’s eyes once more and saw something that looked a lot like hope in warm brown eyes. Carol found herself hoping as well.  
_

_Although her brain was a mish-mash of the moments the Skrulls had extracted and the pictures Monica had shown her, there were a few things that even as Vers -now Carol - she understood to be facts. It was obvious that they had been together. She knew that she had a life with these people, knew Monica called her 'mommy', and even knew that she was the one person they had held onto in six years. Even when she still thought she was only Vers, she had understood that much, but to be Carol, her Carol, their Carol, meant so much more._

_Carol was waiting for Maria to answer. "I mean," she glanced off to the side. "We've done a lot of things before, so..."_

_"Seriously?" Amused, she rolled her eyes. "You're not going to tell me?" Carol wasn't angry, just impatient._

_Maria couldn't help but grin. She untangled her right hand only to use it to push a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. She drew soft fingertips along the curve of Carol's jaw before letting her hand come to rest on her shoulder. "I suppose I could tell you. Or just let Monica take you down memory lane again, but-" She trailed off for a moment, finding herself caught in Carol's eyes once more._

__

__

_"I've spent six years holding onto fumes and dreams and memories that I wouldn't throw away even if somebody paid me, so having you here, in my arms is surreal. I'm still afraid I'm going to wake up." Maria shut her eyes tight and felt Carol let go of her hands, only to be immediately folded up in the smaller woman's embrace. Maria refused to cry. Instead, she opted to bury her face in Carol's neck and wrapped her arms around the other woman._

_"I'm right here, I promise." Carol pressed a kiss into Maria's hair, then smiled. "I know this smell." The aroma was a something sweet mixed with earthy spice. She made a show of sniffing Maria's hair and it caused them both to laugh._

_Finally, Maria lifted her head, eyes rimmed with unshed tears and a grin on her lips. "What are you doing?"_

_"Your hair. I know this smell. I mean, I remember it. It's the oil, I think." Carol rubbed the spot between her eyebrows, willing herself to remember. "You used to hate going to the barber on base because you said, he probably hadn't actually seen a Black woman outside of Claire Huxtable on tv, and a box of pancakes." Carol frowned, confused._

_Maria attempted to curtail her smile. "I believe it was Aunt Jemima."_

_"Who?" Her confusion was adorable._

_Maria let loose a full laugh. She pulled the perplexed woman to her and first kissed the crease in her brow, then her nose, and finally her lips. Sweet slow kisses turned more heated with teeth and tongues and the women once more were pressed against one another and the car._

_It was Carol, who came up for air first, with flushed cheeks, and a chest that rose and fell with speed. "I have a very clear memory of that." She braced her arms against the car, one to each side of Maria, whose legs she stood between. She marveled for a moment at how well they fit together. "We've also been here before with this car?" It was almost a statement._

_Maria said nothing, opting instead to watch Carol as she rifled once more through the dense fog of her memories. She played with the hem of the white NIN t-shirt Carol was wearing, and intentionally let blunt nails graze against Carol's bare stomach. She heard the stutter in her breath and felt the muscles in her stomach clench. Well, at least some things never changed._

_Maria nodded in reply. "There are a lot of good memories in this car." Maria glanced over her shoulder toward the back seat._

_Carol followed her line of sight and smirked. "Hmm. I bet we could fit in that back seat." Maria's head tipped back with a laugh, and despite not having a memory of it, Carol knew it was one of the most beautiful things she had seen and heard on Earth. The thought of not hearing or touching the other woman settled in her gut like the aftermath of overeating._

_Maria shook her head. "That line only works one time, Danvers."_

_"Oh!" Eyebrows rose high. "So, it worked before?"_

_Maria groaned playfully. "Seems like you'll always remain a smug pain in the butt." She softened her assessment with a kiss._

_Carol shrugged. "If it works, I figure why change." They both laughed._

_"You are a mess." She ran her thumbs across Carol's cheekbones and then touched their foreheads together. "I missed you so damn much." Her words were a whisper._

_Carol took a deep breath. "I missed you even when I knew I didn't."_

_"How about we take this inside?" Maria took a deep breath as they pulled apart. "I mean I'm all for nostalgia, but I think it's mostly just me." The corner of her mouth turned down in a weak smile._

_Brown eyes bounced between the backseat of the Mustang and Maria. "It could jog my memory."_

_Maria reached out and swatted Carol's shoulder. "C'mon, Danvers, there's a comfy bed in the house."_

_A bright smile lifted Carol's features. "I like beds."_

_Maria shook her head and took hold of Carol's hand as they meandered out of the garage and back into the yard. They walked in silence for a few feet, before Maria stopped them once more, after making it past the large live oak just to the right of the workshop. "I need you to know something," she began. She looked down at their hands slotted together and smiled. Carol looked up at her with wide eyes and nodded at her to keep going. "For six years, I have missed you and I have mourned you." She held up a free hand to stop what she knew was going to be an apology from Carol. "I won't lie. The first few years were awful. I didn't even have Monica for a few months."_

_She paused and shook her head at the memory before taking a deep breath. "But then it got better and a little easier with more time. Truth is, the start of this year felt like it might be okay to maybe let you go." She shrugged self-consciously when Carol's eyes wavered. After a quick intake of breath, she continued, "but letting go meant giving up, even though I knew you might be somewhere out there, because who could disappear from a crash and be alive but you." She smiled warmly at Carol, who watched her with sorrowful eyes._

_Maria let go of a soft sigh. "But, yeah, I felt like maybe it was time to cut myself some slack and see if I could get through a day without thinking about you when I woke up in the morning. Or wondering what you would say about Monica's latest Lego creation or Space Camp. Or even seeing if I could go to sleep without saying a prayer for you in the hopes that you would hear it. Although, I don't know if that's something I'll ever stop." She kept her eyes fixed on Carol and waited._

_Carol could feel that knot in her gut once more. She cast brown eyes down at the grass and then back up at the woman in front of her. She avoided her eyes for the moment, afraid to see the pain that she could hear in her voice. Once Maria stopped talking, Carol cleared her throat and met her eyes. "I want to tell you that some part of me, out there, even a galaxy away, heard those prayers."_

_Maria smiled, and Carol smiled back. "I know I can't ask you to wait or to even understand but know that I want to remember all of it. All of you. All of us together. As a family." She stepped closer to Maria. "Do you know what it feels like to have the memory of you just out of reach? To reach out and claw at the idea of you only to wake up and not know why my chest hurts so badly." Carol reached out and curled her fingers around the air._

_Maria caught Carol’s hand and pulled her closer. "Actually, I think I might have a little idea." She pressed a soft kiss to Carol's forehead._

_"Well, at least you knew who you were remembering," she huffed. "I just had some hot chick running around in my head singing to me!" She winked at Maria._

_Once she stopped laughing, she regarded Carol with serious eyes. "Sometimes, I look at you and you're the Carol I remember." She looked her over with approving eyes. "Carol "Avenger" Danvers. Best friend. Best wingman. Best pool partner. Best-" She stopped herself and smiled. "Best everything, really." She lifted their joined hands and kissed the knuckles of Carol's hand. "There's a part of me that wants to grip you by the collar and beg you to stay. Tell you that you can't go back out there and do what you do best. I want to scream at you to stay. To stay for me, stay for Monica. Just stay." Maria looked up at the sky and let out a small growl._

_The knot returned to her stomach and Carol pulled the other woman to her. They stood close to one another, hands resting on hips and shoulders. "If you asked me to stay, I think I would."_

_Maria's laugh was mirthless. "I know, which is why I'm not asking."  
_

_"But why not?" The want to understand was visible in knitted brows and a slight frown. Carol was sure she knew the answer, but she needed to hear it from the other woman. She needed to know._

_"Because you and I are the same in that way - we are soldiers. We fight for the people who can't fight for themselves. We want to leave this place better than how we found it, and I know you, Carol Danvers. We joined Lawson at Pegasus because we knew we would matter there. We knew what we were going to do was going to change lives. ‘Stop wars’, she said. And you have a chance to make good on that, a chance to change lives, and yes, maybe even stop a war.”_

_"Or maybe start one," she mumbled._

_Maria tucked a finger under Carol's chin and lifted her head. "Baby, I've seen those fire hands and I'm pretty sure whatever war you start, you're going to finish it." A slow smile spread across her face and eventually Carol mirrored it. "Point is, I can't ask you to stay, and I won't." She swallowed and took a breath. "All I do ask is that if you can, come back. Just come back."_

_Carol surged forward and kissed Maria. They pulled apart after a moment and then Carol found her favorite spot on Maria's neck to nuzzle, which elicited a soft giggle from the taller woman. Carol looked up and smiled. "You are absolutely the best thing in my life."_

_Maria couldn't help but smile harder at the conviction in Carol's words. She felt the moisture of a teardrop streak slowly down her cheek and she didn't mind. "You just saying that, or you know it to be true?" She joked._

_"I know I don't have back all my memories as Carol Danvers, but that, I promise is a truth I would know in any universe." She touched her hand to her chest. "I know it in here. It's in my bones. No matter what the Kree stole and tried to replace, they couldn't remove you, couldn't remove our family, couldn't remove us. You were always there and no, I didn't understand, but you were always there."_

_She puffed out her chest with confidence. "And know this: I will fight for this; fight for us." She gestured between them. “And that means that I will come back. I will always come back for you and for Monica. Always."_

_Maria knew that the Carol standing before her couldn't possibly remember or understand the weight of those same words from so long ago, but it didn’t stop her from letting her tears fall. It was with relief and a frisson of joy that she opened her arms fully and gathered in the other woman. They found themselves once more wrapped strongly around one another, much in the same way they had clung to each other for the first time in six years only two days earlier. They held on fiercely with the knowledge that this might be all they had for another stretch of time._

_Carol pressed a kiss to the side of Maria's neck and got the desired giggle in response. As they pulled away, she wore a confident grin. "That's like my favorite spot isn't it?" She was already bobbing her head before the other woman could even respond._

_"You already know the answer." Maria cleared away the last of her tears with a smile. "Okay, enough of these tears. How about we get you into bed?"_

_Carol threw her hands in the air. "Finally! I've been trying all night." There was laughter in her words._

_Maria covered Carol's mouth with her hand. "Shush. People are sleeping." Carol at least had the decency to look contrite, even though they both knew it was a lie. Maria just grinned and gripped her hand to lead them back inside the quiet house, where they would tiptoe up the stairs into the dark of Maria's bedroom._

TBC...


	2. Chapter 2

**August**

The bright beam of headlights abruptly interrupted Carol's memory. She let out a sigh and dragged the fingers of her right hand through her hair. Her face warmed at the memory of those last few hours she had spent with Maria and then she focused her eyes towards the parking car. The lights pointed away from the house and toward the gravel-paved driveway that led to the property. She could clearly see the silhouettes of two people in the front seat and the unmistakable high curly ponytail of a young girl in the backseat. Carol's cheeks rose high with her smile. She then stood up and walked further onto the porch. 

The Camry came to a complete stop and Maria glanced into the backseat to see a gently dozing Monica still clutching her small plastic bowling trophy and certificate. 

Maria cooed into the backseat, "hey sleeping beauty, we're home." Drowsy eyes opened, and Monica nodded while fiddling with her seat belt.

The engine cut off and Maria looked to her left. "Sonia, thank you again so much for dropping us off. Really appreciate it."

Sonia smiled at Maria and then hit the unlock button on the door. The interior light filled the car. "It was absolutely no problem." She glanced towards Monica. "Besides, anybody who bowls a near-perfect game deserves to be chauffeured home." She held out her hand between the seats and Monica gave her a quick high-five.

Maria just laughed as she exited the car. "Oh, Lord. She's going to be screaming about this forever." Maria watched over the top of the car as Sonia also exited. 

Focused on the handle of the back door instead of the cooper-hued woman on the other side of the car, Maria opened the door for Monica. She used the moment to take a surreptitious deep breath because she knew she needed to have a conversation with Sonia. Her half-ass attempts to broach the topic of Sonia’s clear want to be more than friends had fallen by the wayside amidst the excitement of Monica’s bowling triumph. 

Finally, Monica extracted herself from the seat belt and got out of the car, whereupon, she immediately wrapped small arms around her mama's waist in a hug. 

"What was that for?" Maria glowed.

"Tonight was so awesome!" Her big brown eyes were opened wide.

"You know, I keep saying you guys should join for league night." Sonia pushed her hands into the back pockets of her jeans as she walked around the front of the car and headed towards the passenger side.

Maria bought herself a quick second and bent over to press a quick kiss to Monica's forehead. "Monica, thank Ms. Sonia again for inviting us out tonight and then take all your awards inside."

On cue, Monica groaned dramatically but followed her mama's orders. She moved towards the other woman and genuinely smiled. Maria could see the spark of happiness in hazel eyes when Monica reached out to give the other woman a quick hug. 

"You are certainly welcome, Miss Monica." Sonia pushed up on her glasses that slid down the bridge of her nose when she looked down at the young girl. "And with a little more practice, I think that perfect game is all yours. No help next time." She winked at Monica causing the girl to laugh.

Monica stepped back and leaned against her mama's long legs, holding her trophy and certificate to her chest. Maria brushed back frizzy curls from Monica's forehead and looked up at Sonia. "We'll see. Space Camp starts on Monday, so this one might be occupied 'til the end of August."

Monica let out a yelp of excitement. "Sp-aaaaa-ce C-aaaaa-mp!" She sang out the words at the top of her lungs.

"Alrighty, Lieutenant, enough of that," she chuckled. "You know the drill." She tapped her daughter's shoulders and made sure she had her attention. "Hit the showers. Wash your face, brush your teeth, and get your pjs on."

Monica let go of a tiny "ugh" before nodding. 

Maria just shook her head at her daughter's antics and prodded her with a gentle tap on the backside. "Say goodnight to Ms. Sonia. I'll be in in a minute." 

"G'night Ms. Sonia." She hit the other woman with a grin and began to trudge off as if she was headed for the gallows.

Maria just rolled her eyes, watching Monica as she made her way around the car and headed for the pathway that was in need of better lighting; she could barely see the front porch as it was. She made a mental note to get on it the next day and then she focused on the waiting woman. 

Maria closed the back door and saw Sonia standing next to the passenger door. Her hands were shoved back into the pockets of her jeans. Maria recognized the nervous action and smiled warmly before she met hazel eyes. 

"I just wanted to say thanks again for tonight." Maria looked away bashfully, touched one hand to the hood of the car, and put her other hand in the pocket of her light jacket. 

Sonia shrugged a shoulder. "Again, it wasn't a problem. I was really happy to help out, you know that." There was a hint of hope in her voice.

Maria looked at the slightly younger woman and gave a half-grin. "I do and I'm grateful because you've been a Godsend." She took a breath. "Seriously. The last few months have been crazy." She rolled her eyes to the sky and released a light chuckle. "And I'm really thankful that I've had you to talk to you." She waved her free hand through the air. "It's awkward, I know, but it's been good."

Sonia nodded, making long dark wavy hair bounce around her shoulders. "It really has." She drew in a quick breath. "About that-

A surprised squeal from Monica drew their attention back towards the dark of the porch. 

"Mama!" Monica's voice boomed from the front steps. "It's mo-Auntie Carol!" 

Maria's head snapped to the right and sure enough, there was a bright-eyed Carol Danvers sweeping up Monica and completing a 360-degree turn, much to the young girl's delight. Monica's peals of laughter carried across the front lawn.

The smile on Maria's face spread from ear to ear as she watched both Carol and Monica laugh and embrace. 

"I knew you were coming back!" Once Monica's feet touched the ground she quickly wrapped her arms around Carol's waist and burrowed her nose into the leather of her jacket. "I knew it! I knew it!"

Carol squeezed the young girl to her and just laughed. "I said I would be back, Lou, and I meant it." 

"Let's get mama." Monica released her hold around Carol's waist only to grab one of her hands and start tugging her down the walkway.

Carol looked up and found a pair of smoldering dark brown eyes fixed on her. When she had left five months ago, memories of Maria were scattered like fallen leaves across a barren landscape. With time and help from the Skull's machine, the landscape was no longer barren, and those leaves were no longer strewn haphazardly across an unrecognizable backdrop. Carol could feel the distant pull of Monica on her hand, but just for a moment, she was caught in Maria's stare and she felt the butterflies tumble in her stomach. 

Sonia watched the silent exchange between the two women and her words were swallowed up in the humidity of the Louisiana evening. And just like the inevitable thunderstorm that followed in the wake of a temperature change, it was clear to her what Maria had been dancing around for months. She softly cleared her throat and a slightly chagrined Maria turned to look at her. 

"Well, I guess that answers that question." Sonia's smile was a little sad, but she dipped her head in understanding. 

Maria let her eyes flit between the woman next to her and the sight of Monica dragging Carol towards them. "I did mention it was a little complicated, right?" Maria couldn't help but feel like she had somehow let the other woman down. Granted, Maria had been honest and upfront about the complexities of having an “ex who maybe wasn’t really an ex” coupled with dealing with someone who was constantly "on call" as she had said. Sonia had proved empathetic, as the child of military parents, and over the past few months, they had forged a friendship of coffee dates, quick lunches, and bowling a few times a month. 

A light laugh accompanied Sonia's reply, "that you did." 

Maria looked away and then back to meet Sonia's eyes. "Still sorry."

The other woman shrugged and then smiled fully. "Can't blame a girl for trying."

The women's laughter grew quiet as Monica skipped her way towards the car with Carol in tow. "Mama, look who I found on the porch!" 

Maria arched an eyebrow and she took in the sight of Carol in her leather jacket and her space suit. "Porch?"

Carol's cheeks were quickly filled with the pink of a blush. "Guess I left my keys in my other pants." She locked eyes with Maria and watched as she had to bite down into her lip to keep from laughing.

"Auntie Carol!" Monica piped up. "This is Ms. Sonia and we went bowling tonight and I nearly bowled a perfect game!" Monica's words flowed out at breakneck speed.

Carol was nearly dizzy from Monica's excitement. "A perfect game! That's like amazing!" She held up her hand and Monica jumped up to slap it high-five. "I haven't bowled in forever, so I expect tips." She tousled Monica's fizzy ponytail and then held out her hand to the woman standing beside Maria.

"Carol Danvers." The other woman met her with a firm grip and they shook hands.

"Sonia Laramie. It's good to meet you." She nodded in Monica's direction. "This one talks about you like you're a superhero." There was no sarcasm or spite in her tone, just a truthful recounting of Monica's words. 

Carol couldn't help but smirk as she attempted to shrug a shoulder like it was no big deal. "Eh-," she started, but Maria's words cut in before she could get going.

"You know us pilots, we've got huge egos." She put emphasis on the word huge and Carol grinned.

Sonia agreed with a hum. "My dad was the same way." They shared a brief moment of silence. "So, uh, I'm going to let you guys go." She shoved her hands back into the pockets of her jeans. 

"Please, no. Don't let me interrupt." Carol glanced from Maria to Sonia. "Besides, I need to get out of this gear." She reached down and scooped Monica up like a sack of potatoes. "And I'm pretty sure one of us needs a shower." 

"Pretty sure it's you," Monica quipped from underneath Carol's arm.

"Monica!" Maria admonished with a laugh.

A pleasantly indignant, "Hey!", came from Carol. She playfully spun Monica until she was draped across her shoulders. Monica’s laughter continued to build with Carol wiggling until her laughs turned to hiccups. "Just for that, I'm going to make you wash my socks."

"Ewwwwww!" Monica groaned through her howls of joy. 

Maria covered her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing out loud. 

Carol jostled the girl once more for good measure and then nodded in Sonia's direction. "It was good to meet you."

Sonia nodded back. "Good to meet you, as well."

"Say goodnight, Trouble." Carol jostled a still giggling Monica. 

"G'night," she said through a laugh and then a final squeal as Carol turned on her heels with a snap and jogged towards the house.

Maria watched with wide eyes and a contented smile until Carol and Monica disappeared into the dark of the porch and eventually the house. She let out a soft sigh. 

"And that's my cue." The resignation was clear in her voice, but she wasn’t bitter. 

She startled at Sonia's words and gave a lopsided grin. "I meant what I said before." She waited until the other woman met her eyes. 'I meant it. Your friendship's important to me."

Sonia's response was a toothy smile. "And you've got it. Honestly, I get it and hey, call me whenever. And I'm still serious about the league night." Maria surprised her with a quick hug, making the lighter-skinned woman blush. "Now, go and get the heck inside."

Maria waved and gave a silent thank you before she then gracefully jogged the short distance to the house. She was bounding up the stairs and crashing into a half-dressed Carol before Sonia's car had even made it down the driveway.

With a bright beaming smile, Carol absorbed the impact of the slightly taller woman, sending them careening into the hallway wall. She couldn't even say hi, before Maria's mouth was on hers and long fingers were buried in her hair. 

Carol grabbed at the sides of Maria's t-shirt and tugged it from her pants with one hand and used her other hand to push the jacket off her one shoulder. Their kisses were deep and desperate. Maria's hands moved from Carol's hair to grip the sides of the form-fitting tank top that she wore under her flight suit. It still wasn't as close as she needed to be. She felt the flex of Carol's muscled thigh between her legs and she let go of a moan when her knees began to wobble. 

A smug Carol smiled into their kiss and attempted to switch positions. She gripped Maria by the back of her neck and pushed forward, sending them slamming into the opposite wall. The jolt sent a framed photo that hung on the wall clattering to the ground. "Oh shit!" Carol said through a laugh. Reluctantly, they broke apart. 

"What happened!?" Monica stepped out of the bathroom in her robe with a mouth full of toothpaste and a confused look on her face. Brown eyes quickly passed between her parents and she eyed them skeptically. Carol's face was flushed, and her hair was messy, while her mama laughed quietly and leaned against the wall. Brown eyes tracked to the floor where she saw the cracked fallen photo. "You guys okay?" Her voice was full of the concern of an almost 12-year-old. 

Maria recovered first, standing up straight and easing out of her jacket. "Just being clumsy." She smiled at her daughter, who only raised a dubious eyebrow. "Finish your teeth, don’t skip the shower, and get your pjs on. Meet us out back with the brush when you’re done.” 

Monica mumbled something that sounded like, “okay, mama” around her toothbrush before she backed into the bathroom. 

Maria caught Carol's eyes and they both laughed once the bathroom door closed again. "Hi, there."

"Hey!" Carol wiggled her fingers in greeting.

A shiver of promise ran up Maria's spine and she puckered her lips at the other woman and winked. "We'll finish this later." She smoothed back mussed hair behind her ears and smiled. "You want a beer?"

"God, yes." Carol pushed off the wall and ran her fingers through her hair. 

"Check the top drawer for a change of clothes." Maria jutted her chin towards the dresser she could see through the open door of her bedroom. "Meet me out back?" It came out like a question.

Carol saluted. "Yes, ma'am." 

They passed one another and let their fingertips graze before moving in opposite directions. Maria smiled all the way to the kitchen. It was such an innocuous gesture, seemingly benign to any passerby, but it was one they had perfected for years in the military. 

Once they had become a thing, they knew better than to show outward affection, but every now and then, whether it was for good luck or just a simple show of 'I've got your back', it was a way to ground one another. They got away with shoulder bumps, high fives, and pats on the back, but sometimes all they could manage was a quick brush of fingertips. It was a simple whisper of an action, but it was probably their most intimate, and usually reserved for those moments of high anxiety. 

Maria puttered around the kitchen straightening things that didn’t need to be straightened in an effort to get a hold of her nervous energy. Finally, she moved to the fridge to take out two beers. As Maria uncapped the two cold bottles, her smile started small and then grew. It was Carol who had reached out first to her in the hallway. Goosebumps prickled her skin. She knew Carol's memories were broken, missing, and potentially lost forever; however, it never stopped Maria believing and hoping that Carol would remember their life. The whole of their life. She took a deep swig of the beer and released a hopeful sigh. Maybe just maybe Carol's return wasn't just happenstance. 

 

* * *

Now on the back porch, Maria's bare feet rested on the top of the bottom step from where she sat reclined on her arms on the top step, her long legs stretched out. She sat quietly with her a mind a buzz for nearly five minutes before the sound of bare feet against the wood caught her attention. Moments later a clear-eyed and damp-haired Carol sat down next to her in a pair of boxer shorts and a t-shirt. Maria handed over Carol's cooling beer and Carol traded over a still cold unopened beer.

Maria finally turned to her right and smiled. "My knight in shining armor." She winked and pressed a quick kiss to Carol's cheek. 

"Figured I could squeeze in a quick shower." She shrugged and then took a deep drink from the beer. Carol let out a satisfied groan. Maria chuckled. "Oh, sweet Jesus! That's like heaven. I gotta' figure out how to take some of these with me."

Maria's smile fell a bit, but she hid behind the action of drinking. "When do you leave?" She finally asked.

Carol looked up at the star-studded night sky and sighed. "Maybe in a couple of days."

Maria tilted her head. "Maybe?"

Carol stretched out her legs as well and sat close to Maria so that their shoulders brushed together. "Honestly, this was a little unplanned, so I figure two or three days, and then we have to get back at it."

This time Maria turned her eyes to the sky. "How is Talos and the family?"

Carol grinned. "Doing well. He's uh, well, both of them really, they've been a real help."

"Oh yeah." Maria ducked her head to catch Carol's eyes. "Help with what?"

"Everything, I guess." Carol sipped her beer. "But mostly with the powers," she paused deliberately. "And the memories."

A small gasp escaped Maria's lips. She put her beer down and sat up straight. She turned towards Carol. "Tell me."

Carol put her beer down too and turned her head. "It's easier now to recall things." 

Maria encouraged her to continue with a touch to her hand. 

Carol reflexively entwined their fingers. "Before it was all just broken pieces and things that didn't make sense. But now, I can remember the context and complete moments." Carol smiled as Maria squeezed her hands. Bright brown eyes took in the dark brown skin of Maria's hand and she smiled. She met Maria's eyes. "Now, I can sometimes remember something all on my own."

Maria glanced down at their hands and smiled. She looked back up and tried to tamp down on the hope the was weaving its way up from her belly. There was so much she wanted to shout out, but she knew it was more important for Carol to try to find it on her own. She encouraged, "anything in particular?"

Carol smiled slyly. "Talos asked me to tell him about Monica and the first thing I remembered was how she got her name. Well, I mean, how I kind of named her." She could feel Maria stiffen.

Brown eyes were wide under the light of the lamps emanating from the back room and flooding the back porch with soft orange light. "Yeah?"

"Yup," Carol smirked and then sipped her beer. "I'm pretty sure your mom wanted to strangle me right there in the dining room. Mariah would have been a bit much and you know it.”

Maria's mouth fell open in shock and then she let out a laugh. "You do remember!" She leaned forward and kissed Carol's triumphant smirk. "Why that memory?"

Carol shrugged. "I can't explain the order to anything. There are things that trigger some memories. Other times, it's like a waking dream. The machine helps."

Black eyebrows furrowed. "A machine?"

Carol nodded in affirmation. "The Skrulls have a system they use to extract memories. It’s a cerebral imager. It was how they infiltrated places." Maria looked concerned. "It's fine, I promise." She reassured her with a peck to the lips. "I don't do it all the time, but maybe once a month. It's a good jolt."

Maria ran her fingertips across Carol's forehead. "If you say so.” She was concerned, but she trusted Carol. “I don't want them scrambling that beautiful brain of yours any more than it already is, you got me?"

Carol's heart beat wildly against her rib cage at the sound of Maria's concern. She had missed this so much. "Promise." She held out her beer bottle and they clinked bottles. 

It took a beat and then Maria's smile was wide. "You really do remember."

Carol kept her smile small. "There are some patches missing, but it's less like someone else's home movies." She found herself caught in Maria's gaze and she could see the hope brimming on the edges.

"I was thinking," Carol began. "Maybe we could drop Monica off with your parents tomorrow and take the plane and head out to the desert outside of the old Pegasus base." Maria squeezed her hand and Carol squeezed back. "Thinking we could take a truck up to the Bluffs and you know- 

She didn't get to finish her words because Maria's hands were cupping her face and she was melting into the soul-searing kiss. They came up for air and rested their foreheads against one another. "How long have you known, you little shit?"

Carol chuckled and tipped up Maria's chin, so she could look at her. "Technically, only about a month, but really it was five minutes ago." She shrugged a shoulder. “I thought it was just a dream, wishful thinking even. But then it just hit me.”

Maria wiped at a stray tear and laughed. "How? What happened?"

"Nothing in particular, initially. We had just gotten out of a skirmish with some Accusers a few days before, but nothing crazy. I just remembered getting up and starting my day. And there I was, brushing my teeth and I went to turn the water on and I thought to myself, 'where's my ring? Why I am not wearing my ring?' I just figured it was some dream. And just then, when I was putting on my shirt upstairs, I reached for the tags that should be around my neck and I knew it wasn’t a dream.”

Long arms wrapped around Carol's neck and Maria pulled her into a bone-crushing embrace. Carol wrapped her arms around the other woman and held tight. She softly kissed Maria's neck and they both laughed in delight. "I love you so much, Maria Rambeau." She spoke the quiet words into Maria's ear and Maria just squeezed harder.

Maria allowed a few joyful tears to fall as Carol's words washed over her like a summer storm. "I love you so much, Carol Danvers." She let out a triumphant huff of air when she said the words she had wanted to say for months. 

They leaned back from their embrace and met for a slow kiss meant not to stoke their obvious desire for one another, but meant for a consummation of all that was promised and what was to come. Maria let her head fall forward to rest on Carol's collar bone and Carol used her fingers to draw lazy circles at the base of her neck. The two women sat locked together for a quiet moment. 

Eventually, Monica's bright voice broke their cocoon. "Mama, can I have some ice cream?"

Maria's head whipped up. "Monica, no! If you don't come on." She wiped at the remaining tear streaks on her cheeks and she and Carol both laughed. "I blame you for the ice cream at night thing."

With feigned offense, Carol touched a hand to her chest. "I-I don't remember this ice cream thing you speak of."

Maria glared and they both broke into laughter just as Monica burst through the back door. 

"You guys star watching without me?" She frowned.

"Not a chance, Lou!" 

Easily satisfied, Monica took the two steps and sat down in front of her mama. She handed her the brush and oil without even looking. "Better not. Did you guys know that the Capricorn meteor shower is happening for next couple of weeks?"

Carol looked over Monica's head at Maria, who was gathering Monica's hair into her hand. Maria brushed the sides of Monica's hair all the way around before releasing the frizzy curls. "Our little astronaut here is a walking compendium of the celestial event calendar."

Carol beamed with pride. "Is that so?"

Monica turned her head a bit and grinned. "Yup. I start Space Camp next week."

"Space Camp?!" Carol's voice was full of excitement. "I wanna’ go to Space Camp."

Monica's head jerked around. "Mommy, that would be sooooo cool! Can you? I mean-

"Monica," Maria warned while she sectioned off Monica's hair in preparation to create two long braids on either side of the girl's hair. "You know it doesn't work like that."

Little shoulders deflated, and Monica turned her head back. Maria caught Carol's eyes and she saw the obvious conflict. 

"Lou, your mama's right." She watched as Maria paused in her braiding and she let Monica turn her head fully towards Carol. "I can't really schedule where and when I'm going to be right now, but know that I'm always trying to get back home to you guys, okay?" She waited for Monica to nod. "And hey, I can't promise I'll be back in September," she paused when Monica's face broke out into a smile at the mere hint of her birthday. "But I have been working on a little something with Uncle Fury and Talos, so maybe I will at least be able to see you."

Two sets of matching brown eyes turned toward Carol in wonder. She held her hands up. "Don't get too excited, yet. It's not finished, but we're working on it."

Maria nudged Carol's shoulder and smiled. "I'm sure it'll be perfect."

"That sounds cool. Uncle Fury said he was going to take me to the new desert base and try out one of mama's new Quinjets." She shimmied her shoulders and then was forced to turn her head as Maria started on the other side of her hair.

Carol winked at Maria. "So, they're yours now?" The pride was evident in her voice.

Maria smirked. "Just making improvements." She oiled a section of Monica's hair as she spoke. "You know, you should probably be taking notes on this." She gestured at the hair in her hand. "What happens if I'm off somewhere and you need to braid Monica's hair?"

Monica's laughter floated up and Carol's eyes opened comically wide. "Wait, should I videotape this? I've never braided anyone else's hair." Her voice grew frantic.

Maria just giggled. "I'm just messing with you."

Carol smiled in relief. "I mean, I can learn," she said eagerly.

She finished the second braid and put the top back on the oil. "No worries. She can do it herself, truthfully." She squeezed Monica's shoulders. "She's just spoiled rotten." Maria leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the top of Monica's forehead. "All done."

Monica stood up and faced her parents. "I am not spoiled." She paused for dramatics and then added, "I'm just vigorously cared for." Her smug smile looked like a perfect facsimile of Carol's. The air crackled with their laughter. 

"Is it okay if I hang out with you guys for a little bit longer?" She shifted from foot to foot, moving brown eyes quickly between the two seated women.

Maria made a show of looking at her watch, but as she watched Monica move to sit down in Carol's lap, she knew she wasn't going to send her off to bed just yet. Carol was almost surprised by the action, but she had never denied Monica anything, and she wasn't about to start now. Carol remained still to let Monica get comfortable. The young girl drew up her knees towards her chest to make herself small, and then she nestled her head into the crook of Carol's neck. Once Monica was settled, Carol rested her chin against the top of her hair and wrapped her arms around her, cradling her to her chest.

Maria rested her elbows on her knees and watched the scene before her. She briefly thought about teasing Monica for being way too big for such babyish things, but then she remembered that much of her memory of Carol was being wrapped up just like this, safe and secure against her chest, and listening to the two of them tell stories about the stars before she would drift off to sleep. 

Maria ran her hand up and down Carol's arm as they shared a look. She could see the shimmer of happy tears in the other woman's eyes. Carol smiled, and Maria scooted over until she was snug against Carol's side. She threw an arm over Monica and wrapped her other around Carol's back, effectively hugging them both to her.

"So," Maria's voice was barely louder than the cicadas. "Tell us how the stars look from up there."

Carol let her eyes sweep over the girl in her lap and the woman to her left and she smiled so hard her eyes nearly closed. She held Maria's gaze as she replied, "absolutely beautiful."

Maria winked and rested her head against Carol's shoulder. 

"See any supernovas?" Monica's sleepy words rumbled against her chest.

"Uh-huh. And even better, I saw a supernova get swallowed by a black hole."

"I'm listening." Maria just closed her eyes and settled in for what she knew was going to be an impossible adventure. 

Carol tangled a couple of her fingers with Maria's where they rested against Monica and let a wide smile come to her lips before she started her story. "So, we had just made it past the jump point...

 

_Fade out..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Ever appreciative and humbled by all the kudos and comments. As always, thanks so much for taking this ride with me!_


End file.
